Senior Manager, Life Sciences (R&D)

Accenture UK & Ireland; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days holiday

Private medical insurance

Extra leave for charitable work

Job summary

Accenture is seeking an experienced Senior Manager to lead the UK Life Sciences R&D practice, shaping and delivering complex R&D strategy and transformation engagements. Expect to drive senior client relationships, originate opportunities and grow the practice across strategy, technology, data and AI.

The role sits in London, involves leadership of multidisciplinary teams, and focuses on delivering data-driven outcomes with patient-centric, AI-enabled R&D transformations.

Qualifications

• 8-12+ years in Life Sciences R&D with consulting background.
• Deep knowledge across R&D strategy, development, regulatory and AI.
• Proven leadership of multi-workstream engagements end-to-end.
• Fluent English; willingness to travel in UK and overseas.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary engagement teams across Life Sciences R&D.
• Take end-to-end accountability for delivery, scope, commercials, quality and client satisfaction.
• Shape R&D strategies and operating models using data and AI.
• Advise clients on AI-driven R&D reinvention and data platforms.
• Cultivate trusted relationships with senior client executives; guide pivotal decisions.
• Drive business development and grow the sales pipeline.
• Collaborate with Strategy, Technology, Data, AI and Operations teams.
• Develop talent and grow the R&D practice.
• Deliver high-quality, data-driven recommendations and roadmaps.
• Contribute to growth with new propositions and thought leadership.

Skills

R&D strategy

Engagement leadership

Client relationship

AI in R&D

Data fluency

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA (optional)

Tools

Cloud platforms

Analytics tools

Job description

Job Title: Life Sciences R&D Senior Manager

Career Level: 6 - Senior Manager

Location: London

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services across strategy, technology and operations. Our Life Sciences Industry & Enterprise practice brings together a powerful combination of deep industry expertise, next-generation technology, transformative thinking, and collaboration. With our thought leadership and culture of innovation, we help clients reshape what Life Sciences can be.

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious Senior Manager to join our UK Life Sciences R&D practice, bringing deep Life Sciences R&D expertise, a track record of shaping and leading complex transformation engagements, and the commercial acumen to grow client relationships and the practice. The role sits at the intersection of strategy, business transformation and technology-enabled change, with Pharmaceutical experience expected and adjacent Life Sciences sector experience (e.g. MedTech) an advantage.

“Across the globe, one thing is universally true of the people of Accenture: We care deeply about what we do and the impact we have with our clients and with the communities in which we work and live. It is personal to all of us.” – Julie Sweet, Accenture CEO

Our Team

The Life Sciences industry is experiencing a period of unprecedented change. Rapid shifts in R&D, technology, data and AI are transforming the ways Life Sciences organisations work across the product lifecycle to develop and commercialise innovation. We are at the forefront of this change, helping the world’s largest Life Sciences companies achieve sustainable and profitable growth by transforming their businesses across the value chain to become more patient-centric, data-driven and operationally agile: ultimately, getting new products to patients faster. We help our clients deliver lasting impact by driving excellence from strategy development through to implementation. At Accenture, our purpose is to deliver on the promise of technology and human ingenuity.

As we are experiencing unprecedented growth, we are looking for exceptional individuals to join our team of passionate Life Sciences R&D practitioners. As part of this team, you will learn, grow and advance in an innovative culture that thrives on shared success, diverse ways of thinking and enables boundaryless opportunities that can drive your career in new and exciting ways. You will have an opportunity to make an impact on organisations that touch billions of lives every day.

We are seeking an experienced Senior Manager to join the UK Life Sciences Industry & Enterprise team. This is a leadership role, accountable for shaping, selling and leading complex R&D strategy and transformation engagements across research, clinical development, regulatory, safety / pharmacovigilance and adjacent R&D domains. A background in the Pharmaceutical sector is required, while adjacent sector experience (e.g. MedTech) would be an advantage.

The successful candidate will combine deep R&D domain expertise with proven engagement leadership, business development and people leadership, taking accountability for client outcomes, building pipeline and developing the next generation of talent in our R&D practice.

In our team, you will drive:

• Shaping and leadership of complex, multi-workstream R&D strategy and transformation engagements across our Life Sciences client base
• Trusted relationships with senior client executives, including Heads of R&D functions, VPs and C-suite, acting as a strategic advisor on pivotal decisions
• Growth of the Life Sciences R&D practice through origination, proposal leadership and building a strong sales pipeline
• Leadership, coaching and career development of multidisciplinary teams
• Development of R&D propositions, assets, thought leadership and market eminence, including AI-enabled reinvention of R&D

In our Life Sciences Industry & Enterprise team you will gain exposure to:

• The most strategic challenges and opportunities that occupy the minds of industry leaders
• Cutting edge research and thought leadership that is defining the future of the industry
• Structured problem-solving techniques to enable our clients to transform their businesses
• A global network of highly skilled, geographically and culturally diverse people
• A world-class training curriculum that helps you continuously upskill yourself as the world changes
• A culture that encourages innovation, collaboration, enterprise, and a lot of fun!

As a Life Sciences R&D Senior Manager, you will:

• Lead and manage multidisciplinary engagement teams to deliver tailored strategic and transformation solutions across Life Sciences R&D, including research, clinical development, regulatory, safety / pharmacovigilance and adjacent domains.
• Take end-to-end accountability for engagement delivery, including scope, commercials, quality, risk and client satisfaction, across one or more concurrent engagements.
• Leverage deep industry knowledge and market trends to shape client R&D strategies, operating models and technology roadmaps, ensuring long-term business success.
• Advise clients on how to reinvent R&D with data and AI, from AI strategy and operating model design through to agentic process redesign and the enabling data platforms.
• Cultivate strong client relationships, acting as a trusted advisor to senior executives, guiding them through pivotal decision-making processes.
• Drive business development by identifying growth opportunities, originating and leading proposals, and actively building and managing a strong sales pipeline.
• Collaborate closely with Accenture teams across strategy, technology, data, AI and operations, orchestrating the right capabilities to deliver client value.
• Lead, coach and develop teams, contributing to performance management, recruitment and the growth of a high-performing R&D practice.
• Ensure the delivery of high-quality, data-driven recommendations and practical implementation roadmaps that exceed client expectations and drive measurable results.
• Contribute to the continued growth of the R&D practice through development of propositions, methodologies, assets, thought leadership and market eminence.

We are looking for you if you have:

• 8-12+ years’ relevant experience in the Life Sciences industry with a focus on R&D, including significant prior strategy / management consulting experience.
• Deep functional knowledge in one or more of the following areas: R&D strategy and operating model; research and clinical development; pipeline / portfolio / asset strategy; launch readiness; clinical, regulatory and pharmacovigilance; digital transformation and innovation; data, analytics and AI in R&D; patient, site and investigator experience.
• A track record of leading complex, multi-workstream engagements end-to‑end, including scope, commercials, quality and risk.
• Proven business development experience, including originating opportunities, leading proposals and converting pipeline.
• Experience building trusted relationships with, and influencing, senior client executives up to C-suite level.
• Team leadership experience, including leading, coaching and developing multidisciplinary teams.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, creative problem solving and analytical skills.
• Strong technology and data fluency, with an understanding of how cloud, data, digital platforms and AI can enable the reinvention of Life Sciences R&D. Experience shaping and leading AI strategy and modernisation programmes, AI operating model design, AI‑ready data and AI‑enabled enterprise data platforms, semantic modelling and ‘Digital Brain’ capabilities, or agentic process redesign and workforce transformation would be highly advantageous.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive‑level presentation and facilitation. Fluency in English.
• Bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record. An advanced degree or MBA is a plus but not essential.

What’s In It For You

At Accenture, in addition to a competitive basic salary, you will have an extensive benefits package which includes 30 days’ vacation per year, private medical insurance and 3 extra days leave per year for charitable work of your choice.

You will join a collaborative and ambitious UK Life Sciences Industry & Enterprise team with access to Accenture’s global network of industry, technology, data and delivery experts. You will have the opportunity to shape the future of R&D transformation, data and emerging technologies with leading Life Sciences clients, while playing a leading role in the continued growth of our R&D practice.

Location

Your home office will be in London. This role is client‑facing and may therefore involve travel, working in other parts of the UK as well as overseas depending on the needs of the project.